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Ten important questions/issues for ethnobotanical research
No full textUnidad de excelencia María de Maeztu MdM-2015-0552For at least 30 years researchers have called for a deeper reflection on the paths we desire for ethnobotanical research. Although the discipline of ethnobotany is growing, as measured by the number of publications in the area, there is still work to be done regarding the homogeneity of theoretical and methodological approaches and the implications of ethnobotanical research findings for society as a whole. In this article we present 10 questions/issues that we believe can guide the research and actions of ethnobotanists for the coming years
Toll-like receptors 2, 4 and 7, interferon-gamma and interleukin 10, and programmed death ligand 1 transcripts in skin from dogs of different clinical stages of leishmaniosis
No full textBackground: Canine leishmaniosis (CanL) caused by Leishmania infantum can have several dermatological manifestations. The type of immune response elicited against the parasite appears to be at the basis for such clinical variability. Much of the work in CanL has focused on adaptive immune response and there are scarce data on the importance of the innate immune responses. Moreover, few studies have evaluated the immunological response in the cutaneous lesions in dogs naturally infected with L. infantum and with different degrees of disease severity, and no study has compared clinically-lesioned with normal-looking skin. Methods: We determined and compared the transcription of toll like receptors (TLRs) 2, 4 and 7, interferon gamma (IFN-γ), interleukin (IL) 10 and programmed cell death protein ligand (PD-L) 1 by real-time PCR in paired clinically-lesioned and normal-looking skin from 25 diseased dogs (mild disease-stage I (n = 11) and moderate to severe disease-stages II and III (n = 14) as well as in normal-looking skin from healthy dogs (n = 10) from a non-endemic area. We also assessed the association between the transcripts in clinically-lesioned and normal-looking skin of dogs with leishmaniosis with clinicopathological, immunological and parasitological findings. Results: Clinically-lesioned skin from mildly affected dogs was characterized by a significant upregulation of TLR2 (P < 0.0001) and IL-10 (P = 0.021) and downregulation of TLR7 (P = 0.004) when compared with more severely affected dogs. Normal-looking skin of mildly affected dogs was characterized by a significant lower expression of TLR7 (P = 0.003), IFN-γ(P < 0.0001) and PD-L1 (P = 0.001) when compared with more severely affected dogs. TLR2, TLR4, IL-10 and IFN-γupregulation in clinically-lesioned skin was correlated with lower disease severity while TLR7 upregulation was correlated with markers of disease severity. Upregulation of TLR7, IL-10, IFN-γand PD-L1 in normal-looking skin was correlated with disease severity. Conclusions: This study demonstrated different expression profiles of immune genes in clinically-lesioned and normal-looking skin among mildly and more severely affected dogs. These immunological conditions might favor the maintenance and replication of the parasite in the skin of more severely affected dogs
High-density genetic map and QTL analysis of soluble solid content, maturity date, and mealiness in peach using genotyping by sequencing
No full textPeach (Prunus persica) is one of the most important temperate fruit trees in the world, based on its production and cultivated area. Consumer acceptance is the principal objective of multiple breeding programs and it is dependent on many factors. Among these factors, an important role is played by the soluble solids content (SSC) and the postharvest performance represented by mealiness (M) susceptibility as a chilling injury disorder. Additionally, a major maturity date (MD) QTL has been reported to have a pleiotropic effect on both M and SSC. The aim of this work was QTL identification of SSC, MD, and M and to identify adequate candidate genes that are linked to regulation of these traits. The analysis was performed by evaluation of fruit quality traits during three consecutive seasons in an F1 progeny of 194 siblings, which were obtained from the intraspecific cross between the yellow-flesh peach "O'Henry" and the white-flesh nectarine NR-053. The main result was the construction of a genetic linkage map with 499 markers (486 SNPs, 11 SSRs, and two morphological markers) spanning 717.6 cM, with an average distance between markers of 1.5 cM/cluster. The analysis allowed the identification of consistent QTLs for SSC and M in the linkage group LG5 and for MD in LG1, LG2, LG5, and LG6. A large number of genes were annotated in QTL intervals, which was reduced by selecting the genes with at least one SNP, which caused an amino acid variation. For SSC, the data identified four transcription factors, one gene involved directly with the sugar accumulation process, and one cell wall remodeling-related gene. For MD, 23 cell wall-related genes, three jasmonic acid-linked genes, eight transcription factors, and one ripening-related gene were identified. Finally, only one cell wall gene was identified that was associated with M. In conclusion, these results improve our understanding of the genetic control of fruit quality traits with commercial relevance in P. persica and specifically in the O × N mapping population
The historical background of the popularity of genealogies in Korea
No full textThe widespread trend for compiling genealogies in Korea is known to have emerged around the seventeenth century. To explain this, scholars have pointed to the influence of neo-Confucianism and similarities with Chinese genealogical traditions. However, this study focuses on the inclusionary and exclusionary forces within Korean genealogy with the former drawing more members into the genealogy and the latter resulting in fewer family members being included. In particular, this study draws attention to the selective recording of patrilineal family members and to the frequent inclusion of relatives-in-law in Korean genealogies. The social hierarchy system of premodern Korea appears to have been the most crucial factor in determining the particular features and popularity of Korean genealogies, and in this article, I draw attention to how this accounts for the differences between Korean genealogy and the genealogical traditions of other East Asian societies
Assessing the reliability of predicted plant trait distributions at the global scale
No full textPredictions of plant traits over space and time are increasingly used to improve our understanding of plant community responses to global environmental change. A necessary step forward is to assess the reliability of global trait predictions. In this study, we predict community mean plant traits at the global scale and present a systematic evaluation of their reliability in terms of the accuracy of the models, ecological realism and various sources of uncertainty
Nanomaterial-based devices for point-of-care diagnostic applications
No full textIn this review, we have discussed the capabilities of nanomaterials for point-of-care (PoC) diagnostics and explained how these materials can help to strengthen, miniaturize and improve the quality of diagnostic devices. Since the optical, electrochemical and other physical properties of nanomaterials are dictated by their composition, size and shape, these factors are critical in the design and function of nanomaterial-based PoC diagnostics
Pentacene/TiO2 Anatase Hybrid Interface Study by Scanning Probe Microscopy and First Principles Calculations
No full textThe understanding and control of the buried interface between functional materials in optoelectronic devices is key to improving device performance. We combined atomic resolution scanning probe microscopy with first-principles calculations to characterize the technologically relevant organic/inorganic interface structure between pentacene molecules and the TiO anatase (101) surface. A multipass atomic force microscopy imaging technique overcomes the technical challenge of imaging simultaneously the corrugated anatase substrate, molecular adsorbates, monolayers, and bilayers at the same level of detail. Submolecular resolution images revealed the orientation of the adsorbates with respect to the substrate and allowed direct insights into interface formation. Pentacene molecules were found to physisorb parallel to the anatase substrate in the first contact layer, passivating the surface and promoting bulk-like growth in further organic layers. While molecular electronic states were not significantly hybridized by the substrate, simulations predicted localized pathways for molecule-surface charge injection. The localized states were associated with the molecular lowest unoccupied molecular orbital inside the oxide conduction band, pointing to efficient transfer of photo-induced electron charge carriers across this interface in prospective photovoltaic devices. In uncovering the atomic arrangement and favorable electronic properties of the pentacene/anatase interface, our findings testify to the maturity and analytic power of our methodology in further studies of organic/inorganic interfaces
El irracionalismo poético, lenguaje cifrado en clave pictórica
No full textRevisión del concepto de literatura como un tipo especial de lengua que aprovecha la potencialidad de los signos y puede originar mensajes con alto grado de hermetismo. Se analizan casos de códigos cifrados en poemas con imágenes visionarias. Las claves para interpretar estos textos se hallan en el contexto intraliterario y, en determinados casos, se encuentran en las referencias de la escritura a otros sistemas expresivos, como el pictórico. Este postulado se aplica a poemas de Los 8 nombres de Picasso de Rafael Alberti, cuyo sentido se revela con la reconstrucción de los cuadros de Picasso aludidos en los versos.A review of the concept of literature as a special kind of language that take advantage of full potential signs and messages with a high degree of hermeticism may be result. Cases of encrypted codes are analyzed in poems that provides both accurate and visionary depiction. The key words to interpret these texts are contained in the intraliterary context and, in certain cases, they are identified in the references of writing to other expressive systems, such as the pictorial one. This tenet applies to the poems of "The Eight Names of Picasso" by Rafael Alberti, whose meaning is disclosed thanks to the reconstruction of Picasso's paintings quoted in the verses
Análisis de la estrategia de RSC dirigida a la comunidad local. El caso de una multinacional
No full textEstamos asistiendo a un momento de cambio en el contexto empresarial, lo cual repercute directamente en el comportamiento de las organizaciones con sus stakeholders. En esta nueva realidad, analizamos, a partir de la metodología del estudio de caso, cómo la estrategia de Responsabilidad Social Corporativa (RSC) de una organización contribuye al desarrollo del stakeholder de la comunidad local. En síntesis, podemos concluir que las acciones de RSC dirigidas a la comunidad local que realiza la empresa analizada están alineadas con la estrategia global de RSC de la compañíaWe are living through a period of great change in the business sector, which directly afects organisations' relations with stakeholders. In this new context, using a case study methodology, we have analysed how an organisation's Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) strategy contributes to the relationship with local community stakeholders. We found that the CSR initiatives addressed to the local community by the company in the study are well-aligned with the company's global CSR strategy